Archaeological Sites of Türkiye
Arıkan Lab built a geospatial database of archaeological sites in Türkiye from the Neolithic (ca. 9000 BC) to the Iron Age (ca. 800 BC). The members of Arıkan Lab went through publications and extracted coordinates, dimensions, and site function types for each site. There are more than 12,000 sites in the database.
Site Distribution Patterns
The presence of a geospatial database for archaeological sites across the Anatolian Plateau allows us to assess the site distribution patterns spatio-temporally. Each region in Anatolia shows unique environmental characteristics, which led to distinct patterns of cultural evolution.
Landscape Evolution
Another use of such extensive geospatial site databases is to explore past human decision-making and adaptive behaviors in the face of environmental and climatic stress. Landscapes evolve as part of environmental and climatic changes, which may threaten settlements while bringing opportunities. To assess how humans perceived their natural environments and to understand the diverse set of behaviors we observe in the archaeological record, we need to know where sites were located, why they changed settlement locales, and how these changes might have impacted the livelihood of people.
